A portable electronic system, such as a laptop computer, typically comprises a storage device such as a hard disk drive. Such storage devices typically have a rotating storage medium and one or more read or write heads positioned in close proximity to the surface of the storage medium. If the system were to be accidentally dropped, one or more of the heads could contact the storage medium upon impact of the electronic system with the ground. As a result of the contact between the head(s) and the storage medium, the storage device could be permanently damaged. rendering it unusable.